Some Real Ramblings

For a long time, I’ve called the Sunday post “Ramblings & Considerations.” There was a time when I actually rambled. Today, I will revive that tradition…

I’ve been wanting to write this for a while. It’s a bit of a dump on myself. I am afraid the old professor is a bit too pedantic at times, and that’s not good if you’re prone to putting yourself under a microscope as I do occassionally.

About two weeks ago, I was sitting at a bar with a friend and we’re talking about the new Cat Power (Chan Marshall) album. We both love her approach on the album, finding it to be a seamless transition to the electronic genre. While talking, my friend mentioned something about the material generated during Marshall’s wild partying years, and called her “Chan” like in the Chinese last name. Knowing that she pronounces it SHAWN, I added, “It’s actually pronounced, SHAWN. Don’t ask me why though” (It’s one of those great mysteries to me). That tidbit of information was stored in my memory of an old radio show or podcast or something. Still, correcting my friend didn’t sit well, and feeling a bit unsure I googled it. It turns out I was correct, but then came this confusing bit of evidence (watch the first 10 seconds of this video):

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Why would she do that??? It’s maddening. Anyway, call her whatever you want, but be sure to check out Sun.

Cat Power – “Ruin”

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Cat Power – “Cherokee”

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Oh, but it doesn’t end there…

It would be worth a chuckle if that was it, but it wasn’t. In that same conversation, my friend copped to quoting Kool Moe Dee as he heads out the door to work. Upon exiting, he tells his four year old son, “I go to work!” or something like that (it’s been two weeks…). For some reason, that didn’t seem right to me.

“Are you sure you don’t mean Big Daddy Kane?”

“Huh?”

“You know, ‘I get the job done. I work, baby!'”

Quiet ensued and the seed of doubt was firmly placed. We kind of left it floating out there like a fart in church.

Kool Moe Dee and Big Daddy Kane chilling in the 2010s

The next day I received a text, “Your old skool cred is suspect.”

Kool Moe Dee, Big Daddy Kane, two hip hop artists whose best days are way behind them. Yet, I was immediately embarrassed. He was right, but I had a different song in mind. Blame my wife, she loved Big Daddy Kane when she was in high school, and that song still comes up in random moments at home.

Anyway, even if I wanted to claim that Kool Moe Dee “bit on” Big Daddy Kane I’d be wrong. “Knowledge Is King” by Kool Moe Dee was released in May 1989, where “It’s A Big Daddy Thing” was released later that year in September. The sad thing: I owned each of these albums. I shoulda known better!